1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to refuse compactors and, more particularly, to ram assemblies for use therein.
2. Background Art
In conventional refuse compactors, a ram is guidingly driven into a refuse disposal receptacle. Upon encountering unevenly distributed refuse, the ram tends to cant and/or twist and thereby exerts a substantial, undesirable transverse force on the ram guiding assembly during the ram stroke. Due to the potential magnitude of these transverse forces, prior compactor structures employed heavy structural iron guiding frames. U.S. Pat. No. 3,613,560 to Bottas illustrates such a structure.
The structural iron framework is generally skeletal in nature and an encasing sheet metal cabinet enclosure is normally further provided. The use of both an internal structural iron framework and an external cabinet enclosure increases the number of structural parts and cost, and complicates assembly.
The structural iron framework also presents the vexatious problem of obstructing access to the internal compactor works so that servicing of the refuse compactor is made more difficult.
One alternative to use of the structural iron guide framework is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,786,744, to Miller et al. Miller et al disclose a sheet metal guide column that is rigidified by providing inturned corners and embossments in the portion between the corners. While suitable as a guide structure and an improvement over the earlier iron-framed structures in terms of reduction in weight and materials, the guide assembly in Miller et al still requires the use of an undesirable internal guide structure in addition to an outer cabinet enclosure, and has a number of the drawbacks found in the Bottas structure.